Stratasys has long been a dominant force in 3D printing, long before we were buying 3D printers for our homes. The company specializes in factory-level printing and prototype printing for designers and manufacturers.

But as is made crystal clear with the entry of companies like MakerBot, FormLabs, and other consumer-facing 3D printing companies, there is most certainly a demand for at-home 3D printing.

MakerBot was one of the first companies to offer an affordable 3D printer for your home, selling more than 22,000 MakerBots since 2009. That said, the merger truly signifies one of the first time a 3D printing firm will be offering both enterprise and consumer-facing products simultaneously.

“We are excited for the future,” said MakerBot founder Bre Pettus in the press release. “Full steam ahead!”

On the one hand, Stratasys is obviously aggressively entering the consumer space, but this acquisition is also a huge resource to MakerBot. Since 2009, the company was working in its own factory in Brooklyn off of $10 million in venture funding.

Having Stratasys’ 25+ years of experience and resources will surely accelerate innovation and growth at MakerBot.

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OverviewStratasys is a maker of additive manufacturing machines for prototyping and producing plastic parts. The company markets under the brands uPrint and Dimension 3D Printers and Fortus Production 3D Printers. The company also operates RedEye On Demand, a digital manufacturing service for prototypes and production parts.
Stratasys manufactures 3D printers for Hewlett Packard, which it sells under the …